The Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, made public this Thursday the fatal accident data collected by the General Directorate of Traffic (DGT) in 2023. The final statistics show a total of 1,048 fatal accidents on Spanish roads, in the that 1,145 people died, three less than in 2022, and another 4,495 were seriously injured.
The figures released by Traffic are framed in a context in which long-distance trips, the vehicle fleet (1.7%) and the driver census (0.4%) have increased by 2%. In 2023, 448.7 million long-distance trips were made, with a vehicle fleet that stands at 36.6 million and a driver census that rises to 27.8 million.
“We have had more displacements than in 2022 and there have been no more deaths than in 2022. These are bad data, as they are every year, but it is necessary to contextualize them to adopt the necessary measures and correct them as much as possible,” said Marlaska.
Please note that this information is provisional. It corresponds to fatal accidents that occurred exclusively on interurban roads and with victims registered up to 24 hours after the accident occurred. To have a more realistic photograph, we will have to wait a few months to know the final figures, which will include the victims within 30 days of accidents that occurred on urban and interurban roads.
The report released by Grande-Marlaska details the number of people killed according to the type of accidents on international roads. As has happened in recent years, conventional roads concentrate the highest number of fatalities (3 out of 4).
Of the 1,145 people who died, 849 (74%) lost their lives in accidents that took place on conventional roads, 21 more people than in 2022. On high-capacity roads, deaths have decreased compared to the previous year. Specifically, in 2023, 296 people died, 24 less than in 2022.
Off-road accidents continue to be the type of accident with the most deaths, with 486 people, 42% of the total number of fatalities, a figure similar to last year. On the contrary, deaths in frontal collisions decreased by 9%.
The group of vulnerable users totaled 463 deaths, 9% more than in 2022. This increase has been uneven between the different types of vulnerable users, since the mortality of motorcyclists has increased by 19% compared to 2022. It has exceeded 254 fatalities in 2022 to 299 in 2023, despite the surveillance campaigns designed by the DGT on Spanish roads, especially on weekends.
To reduce accidents among motorcyclists, Grande-Marlaska has announced that the DGT will force motorcyclists in 2024 to use a full-face or modular helmet and approved gloves when riding on the road. Likewise, the organization will also promote a mandatory course for B permit drivers with three years of experience who want to drive motorcycles of up to 125 cubic centimeters.
Regarding pedestrians, almost half of the victims died in accidents that took place on motorways and highways (56) compared to 62 that occurred on conventional roads.
As for cyclists, 45 deaths were recorded, two more than the previous year.
The age group with the highest increase in mortality on the roads is 45 to 54 years old, with 228 people dying. They represent 20% of the total, that is, 11% more than in 2022. Infant mortality also increases, since in 2023 a total of 22 deaths were recorded between 0 and 14 years old, the second highest figure in the last 10 years, only behind 2014.
For its part, the group aged 65 and over accounts for 18% of the deceased (206), with a decrease of 10% compared to 2022.
By sex, men account for 79% of the fatalities (905) compared to women (236), who only represent the remaining 21%. These figures are 1% lower than those of 2022 in the case of men, but remain unchanged in the case of women.
Although it may be surprising, there are still users who do not use the seat belt when they get into the car, or the child restraint system (CRS) in the case of children. According to data collected by the DGT, 138 people traveling in cars and vans did not use seat belts. In the case of the deceased motorcyclists, 8 of them were not wearing helmets and 9 of the deceased cyclists were not using them either.
“We are very concerned that after several decades of mandatory seat belt use we still have these death rates due to not wearing a seat belt properly fastened,” lamented Marlaska.
Regarding the location of road accidents, Andalusia and Catalonia are the communities that register the highest accident figures, with 197 and 152 people dead, respectively. In both cases, however, a decrease is observed compared to last year. In Andalusia, the decrease is 12% (26 fewer people) and in Catalonia, 5% (8 fewer people).
At the opposite pole, La Rioja and Navarra register the lowest figures, with 1% of the total, with 11 and 13 deaths respectively.
